Daily Rhythms - #018

In this episode, we begin a new series on Daily Rhythms, exploring the simple yet powerful practices that help us stay connected to God in the midst of everyday life. From prayer and Scripture to Sabbath, gratitude, worship, rest, and community, we'll discuss how intentional rhythms create space for a deeper relationship with Jesus. These practices aren't about striving for perfection or adding more to your to-do list—they're about abiding in Christ and learning to recognize His presence throughout your day. Whether you're feeling spiritually dry, overwhelmed, or simply longing to grow closer to God, this episode will encourage you to slow down, refocus your heart, and cultivate rhythms that bring lasting peace, purpose, and intimacy with Him.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey, welcome back to Pockets of Paradise podcast with Larson Griffith and Megan Tetter. And we're so excited you're here. Welcome back.

SPEAKER_01 0:16

Hey guys, welcome back to the Pockets of Paradise podcast. We're so happy to have you here. And Larson is with me today. Yes. And I'm so thankful that you are back. Um you've already been back a few weeks now, and I'm still like, please don't go back again. Um, but today we're starting a new uh series on I what should we name this? I don't even know. Oh, that's a good question. It's really Christian disciplines, uh, which sounds really boring. So spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciplines, but it's more so like rhythms that Christians have done since the beginning of the church to like build the relationship with Christ intimately in their personal life.

SPEAKER_00 0:56

Rhythms of grace. Rhythms of grace. I feel like I've heard that before. Oh, maybe. I think it was a um uh album of uh what are the girls? The girl group.

SPEAKER_01 1:07

Yes, point of grace. I know that's what it reminds me of. Oh, bring it back all the way back. It's a good one. Um rhythms of grace for like Yeah, Christian disciplines, rhythms of grace.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

Maybe it'll say it in the title, maybe Dailies, uh the dailies, the dailies, daily bread, you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

Yeah, that's the other Christian pocket thing. Yeah, yes. So we're gonna talk about that. Um, and there's so many of them. So there's that's what I love about God, and we've kind of touched on that in here. I mean, I love a lot of things about God, but yeah, one of them is that his relationship with each one of us is individual, and he and as a body, it's it's a he has a relationship with the church as a whole, but he also has a relationship with us as individuals that is so intimate and like unique, yeah, based on who we are and who we made up of.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

I'm so like glad God is God because I think about that sometimes, and like even in relationships with people that I have, I'm like, I can barely juggle this. Like, and I'm like, can you imagine his mind and like how that works? And he's everywhere all the time, yeah. Like, like hears every thing, yeah, sees everything every groan, every laugh, every like I don't know. And he's never surprised or startled or just blows my mind.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

He just handles it, man. Yeah, it's just like a boss, like a boss. But I'm so thankful that we have something that steady. Yeah. So like, I mean, can you imagine life without that? No. I don't know how people are doing it. No. Uh well, I guess they aren't doing it very well if you look at what's going on in the world right now. That the ones who don't have the Lord, you can quickly see.

SPEAKER_00 2:39

And I love how it's and we've talked about this too, but like it's open for everyone, right? So everyone can have it. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

And I think that's why me and you get so fired up in here. It's just like eat the food. It's like trying, like, I'm one of those people who like if I try something that I like, I'm like, oh, you have to try this. Yeah. Like, especially food, because I'm a foodie. So I'm like, please take a bite of this. And my husband will be like, Megan, I'm not hungry right now. And I'm like, no, but you like need to try this now. And and you don't understand your life is about to change. I don't care if you're full. Um, but that's how I feel about Jesus is like, no, you don't understand. I was lukewarm for so long thinking I wasn't, right? Which is what's still a little scary. Um but now that I'm not and I'm being more bold in my faith and I'm stepping out in that and growing and being sanctified all day, every day. Um, the Lord's work on me working on me all the time. Yeah. Um, but I just I'm like, dang, taste and say that the Lord is good because He is good. Like come get a bite because you don't want to miss out on what He has for you.

SPEAKER_00 3:43

Yeah, I feel like growing up I went to like a lot of youth conferences and stuff like that. And um like I they would they would obviously teach you some things, but then they would also, I just I don't know. I feel like I wasn't fully taught spiritual dis. I mean, I had a foundation that was being taught to me, which I think is really good and helpful and it's lacking a lot today. Yeah. Um, but I also feel like I wasn't taught like practically day to day, other than you need to pray. Like I mean, that's about it. Like truthfully, like I really would have to dive deep and and thinking back, which my memory's like shot, but like I would definitely have to try to remember a time where I was taught things like this. So I think it's super valuable.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

Absolutely, yeah. And and another thing too is knowing um what is the verse? I hadn't know it in my head where like baby Christians need milk and more mature Christians need need like the meat and bones, right? The child technology, yeah. I have no idea. Basically, the Bible says Larson's looking at the verse, so I'm not making this up. Maybe grace. But basically, the Lord has grace for every season you're in, and he knows where you're at and your walk. And so he doesn't expect you to like, for example, I was listening to a podcast. I sent it to you, Larson, because it was so good. I did listen to it last night. It was so good. It was a Jenny Allen podcast, and it was about um like practical ways to grow in your quiet time with the Lord. And the guy she had on there was Pastor John, oh god, what was his name? Um was it the it wasn't I don't I actually missed his name. Oh gosh, he's a pastor in New York.

SPEAKER_00 5:34

Is it the pol pul no POL guy?

SPEAKER_01 5:38

I'll find it.

SPEAKER_00 5:40

Oh, here it is. First Peter 2, 2, like newborn babies craves pure spiritual milk so that it, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. That one? Yeah. That's cool. Yeah. I don't know if I've ever like stopped at that. Yeah. So like baby Christians need you start small.

SPEAKER_01 5:58

You start small. And the Lord, He's already done the hard part, He's already saved you, right? So like the gravy and the goodness of salvation is that you get to have the cherry on top, which is a relationship with Him. You get to walk with Him, you get to know Him, you get to hear His voice, you get to Um be confirmed and walk in your calling and your purpose and know your identity. And it's being fully alive. Like Jesus came to give you life and give it abundantly. And that's what that means is like you're not just walking around here aimlessly. You're um you're doing it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:33

Because it goes on in 2 Peter 3.18, it says, But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So like you're constantly growing, you're constantly learning. Yes. Um, and you're not being stagnant. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

I am nowhere close where I want to be. Right. Like, but I'm so much further than where I was. Uh-huh. Absolutely. And I think that's what's so exciting, is there's no end to him. Like you, there's no you can't get enough. Like there's no end. John Tyson is the name of the pastor. Yep. I was way off that. So it was the name of the, if you want to listen to it yourself, is Daily Habits That Draw You Closer to God with John Tyson. But for example, this man has been walking with the Lord since he was 17. But his quiet time with the Lord is incredible. Um, and Jenny at one point was like, like, how did you get to this? Because he spends four hours a day or three hours a day with God.

SPEAKER_00 7:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:25

Um, really four hours because he does stuff at night, like his daily rhythms is kind of what he talks about. But he's like, Jenny, I've this is first of all, don't tell a baby Christian that they can do this. He's like, it doesn't feel like a lot to me because I built it up to that point.

SPEAKER_00 7:40

Yeah. And he used the word like experimenting in my walk with God. So like he was trying to figure out how he could experience the Lord's presence in different ways. So he talks about the art, he talks about music, he talks about like nature, like all of it.

SPEAKER_01 7:55

Yes, yeah, and there's so many ways that we all connect to God. So it's our job to learn his character through his word. Yeah. But also get to know thim through all the things that he's given us to know him through. Like he created all things. Yeah. He created music, he created worship, he created our bodies, he created um nature. Like the world is a giant playground that just reflects his heart.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:17

So if you play in it and look around and say, God, what does this tell me about you? Like, oh, that oak tree is really strong. I could study an oak tree my whole life and learn new things about God all the time. From the root systems to the way it like cleans out the air to like all the things.

SPEAKER_00 8:31

I have a friend who loves plants. And so he any time. Yes, anytime he gets a chance to like teach spiritual growth, he uses a tree as an example. Yes. And I love that. Yes, that's great. Yeah, I think nature is a big one for me of like how I can be, I guess, redirected and and things be put back into perspective. Like, just need a breath of fresh air sometimes. Yeah, I love that. We were talking one day, and I was like, is your son okay? And she's like, Yeah, you just need to touch grass. And I was like, deal. Like, I feel that. So true. I was like, I'm gonna make my kids do that. One will love it, one will hate it.

SPEAKER_01 9:10

Yeah, but it's fine. My kids, when we're having you know, when they get that stir crazy, like mad cow look in their eye, and you're like, all right, we've been in this house too long. That's why I brought mine today. Yeah, yeah. So I um I literally I'll look at them and like, all right, we're all going for a walk. Like, let's go outside. And it changes things. Like it just, it just does. Yeah. Um, but okay, so going back to dailies rhythm, what are some things that you have in your life right now, Larson, that you feel like help you draw closer to the Lord? What are some little practical rhythm practical rhythms that you have?

SPEAKER_00 9:49

Um, well, one is whenever I feel star grazing, because you know, I work from home, I work remote. Um, and so I I feel that way a lot, to be honest. Um, so I have a little porch area that I'll go sit on and just stare at the trees and leaves out there and just take a deep breath and talk to God. Another thing is um reading and writing, like reading books um and then reading the Bible and then writing my prayers out and stuff and just talking to God that way to help me get it all out. Those are some that I'm like way more consistent in than than others that I would love to be consistent in. Yeah, and you have two little is at home, yeah. Yeah, and you're working from home five and six. Yeah, I had to think about it. Yeah. How many years have I been there, mom?

SPEAKER_01 10:42

Yeah, yes, you too. You too. Yeah, yeah. And so I was um I'm always seeking mentors, yeah, which is another thing. Like I'll look for people who are further down the line than me, and I'll seek them out. And I'm like, hey, can we have coffee? Yeah, I want to talk to you. Um, and so I was actually, it was last Thursday, I was talking to a woman that I love at our church and admire, and she's been walking with the Lord a long time. I think she just turned 80, but she's a young 80. You know what I mean? She's like very young at heart, um, but so close with the Lord. Like when you're next to her, you just feel him. Um and so I was talking to her and I said, What are you, what is your quiet time look like? Or what does your connection with the Lord look like? And um, how do you connect to him? I guess. And she said, Well, I spend four hours a day with him. And I said, Wow. And she like started breaking down, like, you know, I read the Bible, I'm in the word, I'm worshiping, I'm singing, I'm praying, I'm sitting still. She's like, I'm actively seeking him out for about four hours a day. And I said, Wow. And she goes, but honey, you're in a different season than me.

SPEAKER_00 11:54

Right, two small kids. I'm I'm thinking, like, how can I fit in four hours when they're asleep, and I should be.

SPEAKER_01 12:01

And she said, You're gonna have different rhythms than me right now. She said, When you're 80, you can have four hours a day or more if you want. She said, But right now, it's not practical, right? She said, So don't beat yourself up that you're not where I am because I'm also 80.

SPEAKER_00 12:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:15

Like, and four hours sounds like a lot to you, but it doesn't feel like a lot to me because I've built up that relationship with him and it's it's rich. Like you, you want to be there. I want more than four hours, right? Yeah. And so it was just so encouraging because I'm like, wow, I I am in a season that's a little crazy. Um, and I love it. Like I love being a mom. But I also remember when my rhythms in college, I would, I would, you know, go get my morning coffee and walk down to the beach and spend my time, quiet time on the beach with the Lord, and just, you know, it was so slow and nice. I was the only person I had to worry about.

SPEAKER_02 12:57

Peaceful.

SPEAKER_01 12:57

And now I'm like, I have to wake up before the sun comes up if I want any time with the Lord. Yeah. And so, but I've I feel like some rhythms in my life right now, I prayer is something I do all day, every day.

SPEAKER_00 13:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:09

All day every day.

SPEAKER_00 13:10

It's like continually in my head. I never stop. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:13

I never stop. Like pray without ceasing is a real thing in this season because it's like I feel like I need prayer to get through everything. Um, which is I hope I always feel that way. Yeah. You know, it like I feel like he's so close when I talk to him all day like that. But I've also, my sister was throwing out some like cushions, like, and they were like these cute pink cushions, and I was like, oh well, I I'll take one of those and just put it in the corner of my closet and like make that my prayer closet. And it is not fancy, like it's literally just a cushion in the corner of my closet by my shoes. Um, but I will go throughout, go in there throughout the day and just get on my knees and talk to the Lord. And what is so precious is like like you were saying, I didn't really have people teach me rhythms, but I had a lot of people model them for me. So I woke up every morning to every morning of my life, except one. I remember one day, I was like, oh my god, what's wrong? Um, every morning of my life, I woke up to my dad at the kitchen table, reading his Bible, drinking his coffee, and journaling every day. That's awesome. Um, like he has I like his whole top of his closet is full of journals. He's journaled for years, which is so rare. I didn't know that at the time. The older I get, the more of a gift that is to me.

SPEAKER_02 14:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:30

Um, but that was just him. My mom always woke up later than my dad. My dad always made her a pot of coffee and wrote a love note, and then he would go to work, and then my mom would drink her coffee and have her quiet time. So I always tell her and her word. That's awesome. And then we would do stuff together as a family. But like prayer was always a part of our family. Anytime it was something we talked about. I was so I'm so thankful I grew up in a household where God was just immersed into everything. Yeah, we were not perfect by any means, right? But it was not a taboo weird conversation that I I felt like I couldn't talk to my parents about.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:07

Did you feel like that?

SPEAKER_00 15:09

I did, I was able definitely to talk about it. And like when I was struggling with something, uh, whatever it was, like I remember throughout high school after work, I would like come and just sit at the foot of my parents' bed. My sister was the one that would like get up in the middle of them and talk to them, and I would just sit at the foot of it and fill them in on everything. Um, I remember always like when we were trying to decide to like move to Florida or not, or whatever it was, like often we would um have like prayer time as a family, any kind of decision of like job or Lord, we really need you. We don't know how we're gonna make it through this, that kind of thing. Um and then also I remember my dad when whenever we lived we lived in a house and then there was a duplex behind him. We owned the property and he had his office in there for a time. And I remember going in there and I would see him like starting his day reading and stuff like that. Now it was very few times that I was up when he was up doing that, but because I'm more of a night owl, but um But it still made an impact. Yeah, like it's still it. Yeah, and them always saying, Well, what do you think, you know, what do you think I would want you doing this, or like he's gonna help you through this kind of thing, or like ask him for wisdom. I can't make that decision for you. You know, you have to ask him, and you work hard and the glory of for the glory of God, that kind of thing. Yeah. So there were there were things throughout my life that definitely it was integrated into like like yours, like that. Um, my heart breaks for those who who don't see that or don't get to experience anything like that. And I just kind of like, Lord, just point them towards the light of who you are.

SPEAKER_01 16:58

Like, and what a what and the reason we're sharing this too is that if you didn't have that, yeah, you can be that. Absolutely. And that's kind of what I was going at with my little prayer closet. It's yeah, it's kind of like my little secret, right? It's nothing, it's special to me, but it's nothing. Whatever. But Dawson walked in on me one day, my four-year-old, and was like, What are you doing? Yeah, and he's like, Are you okay cleaning my shoes? I'm like crying in the corner, like having a moment. And I was like, Mommy, is okay. He's like, Why are you crying? I was like, I'm just talking to Jesus. Yeah. And he's like, Oh, okay. And so he was like, Why are you in here? And he just starts asking all these questions. And a few weeks uh later, he comes up to me and he's like, Hey, mommy, can you help me make a prayer closet? And so he has a little prayer closet in his room, and it's just a little pillow and his little Jesus calling, like storybook Bible. Uh-huh. And he goes in there and he talks to Jesus, and it is like the most pure, special thing I've ever seen in my life. I cry talking about it now because I'm like, oh my gosh. Like, I I thought this was like I was not thinking about him. Yeah. Right. Sadly, that was not what was. Well, I get it, yeah. But but how like when you've prioritize God in your life, it blesses generations to come. Like, that is such a simple example of that.

SPEAKER_00 18:13

Yeah. But we we actually started. Um, I got the other day, I was just sitting in the house just before we went on our little trip, and I just got tired of the noise from the TV or like from them arguing, whatever it was.

SPEAKER_01 18:27

Overstimulated.

SPEAKER_00 18:28

It was a few things. I know. And I was like, you know what? Let's turn it all off. Like, sit down in your seats on the couch and let's just turn it off. And I went and grabbed two like empty notebooks, and I was like, you know what? Go get your you know, crayon and pencil box and bring it in here. And I was like, we're just gonna have some time where we talk to God. So you can you need to thank him. This is how you do it, right? So you need to thank him for what he's given you. You can ask him for whatever you want that's on your heart. Um, because they have a lot of questions and a lot of conversations with me, and I'm like, I don't know, ask God, um, kind of thing. And so I was like, and then here's a notebook, and you can like, if you can't spell it and sound it out and spell it, which was the cutest thing. I wish I had pictures right now to try and explain some of it. Um, but like, we're gonna just one day have one page and you can like draw a picture. It can be something you're thankful for, it can be something you're talking to God about. And then after that, they spend a few minutes. Um, after they draw, I tell them, okay, you're done drawing, great, your sister's still working on it, your brother's still working on it. Go and sit on the couch and just try to listen to God and listen for his voice. And so just trying like little things like that. And we just started, like literally just started. Yeah. Um, maybe there's like four pages in there that's actually done um and actually drawn on, but I I was like, you know, I one, I needed the time to also do my Do we need to do this together, yeah. Yeah, like yeah, okay, so that you'll you'll be okay and you'll understand the importance as well. But I also get, you know, a little bit of time of silence to read the word myself. And so I was like, we're just gonna start doing it together because I love it. I think we all need it.

SPEAKER_01 20:16

Yeah, and I'm like, we're all having our days, like we need it. Yeah, that's amazing. Yeah, and it's so sweet because kids can do it. Oh, they are, they're drawing. They're honestly, they're honestly better than we are because they're not as tainted by doubt as we are. Does that make sense? Like they're the childlike faith in them is like astounding. For example, this just gave me an idea. So in a second, I'm gonna read through all of the things we're gonna talk about in the series. But one of the things is like listening, which we talked about a few podcasts ago about hearing God's voice, but and what you just talked about, like creating a space to hear the voice of God and like training training yourself how to do that. Yeah. And so again, Dawson, he's four years old. I'm laying in bed with him, and that's when he hits me with the heavy hitter questions. Always. Why do they save it to her? Why do they save it until we're in bed? But it's they've been precious, but like I'm like, holy cow. Yeah. Now I'm gonna be up all night thinking about that. So um, it's usually my job to ask the deep questions, not yours. But um, but he asked me, he's like, Mommy, how do you hear God? And so I I explained it to him. I said, Well, you can he can talk in different ways, I said, but a lot of times he'll speak in your mind through your thoughts. Like you just have to listen to your thoughts and listen for his voice, and he'll talk to you. And he's like, Okay. And so he closed his little eyes and um he was praying, and then he got really still and and then he goes, And I said, What is it? And he said, He told me he loved me. Oh and it was like the most Oh my gosh. I was like, He does love you, Dawson. I was like, He wanted to tell you goodnight. And so, but he's been hearing him more and more, which Judo, your little boy is like has had several moments like that too, where it's just like, wow. But we were this is so simple and so silly. But so God. Like he's so intimate. So we were walking up and down our driveway. We live in the woods. And so I don't know how, but there was a flower growing in the woods that's not supposed to be in the woods. Like it was not a wildflower. It was like someone threw out a pot of flowers and it just like somehow took their and um I'm like, that's so crazy. But wildflowers is one of my things with God. And Lena loves flowers. So she's like, Oh mommy, look, Jesus got me a flower, you know, and she went and picked it. I was like, she did, he did get you a flower. And then Dawson's like, What about me? And I was like, Well, he might have a flower for Lena, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have something special for you. And then he goes, I'm gonna ask him. So he closed his little eyes. He's like, Jesus, do you have a flower for me too? And he waited for a second and he looked at me. He's like, he said yes. And I was like, Okay. And so I'm like, oh God, let me help him find a wildflower. You know, I'm like, oh gosh. So, but he was so sure. And so I'm like, look, is it this little white fly wildflower? And he's like, Nope, he told me it would be purple. What? And I was like, Okay, okay. And so we walked up and down the driveway like four or five times. And I'm like, I don't know, there's gonna be a purple flower out here. And I'm like, Lord, if you really spoke to this. Make it up here. I'm like, if you really spoke to this little boy, don't let him down. Oh my goodness. And sure enough, no way. He's like, Mom, I see it. That's the flower he told me he was gonna give me. And we went and he picked it and he put it by his bed. And I was like, Oh my gosh. Like, who am I to not believe that God can't give a kid a wildflower? And you're like, wait, my turn. Yeah, look at me. This is me. But it was just that's amazing. So sweet. I love that. So there's so many rhythms and practices that you can um adopt as a Christian to grow your faith. Because what happens is when you do it in your private life, it bleeds over into everything else, which is kind of what we've been talking about. Um, it changes the way you see people, it changes the way you see circumstances, it changes the way you respond to things.

SPEAKER_00 24:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:08

Um patience. It changes the way you view yourself, patience, the fruit of the spirit. That's where that is grown and cultivated in you.

SPEAKER_02 24:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:16

Because there's more of the spirit in you. Like you're killing off pieces of you so you can replace it with more of him. Yeah. And that's the goal. Um, so I'm just gonna read through them really quick because we're gonna go through them another episode just so you know what's coming. But prayer, um, Bible reading and study, meditation on scripture, worship, fasting, silence, solitude. Those are two different ones. Um, so those are the disciplines of connection with God, and then the disciplines of surrender are submission, simplicity. That's a that's one I'm working on. Um, Sabbath rest, which is a big one, stewardship, uh, purity, and then disciplines of community are fellowship, confession, encouragement, and accountability, hospitality, service, unity, and peacemaking. Disciplines of mission are evangelism, disciple making, mercy, uh, generosity. And then disciplines of the heart are gratitude, celebration. I love that celebration is a Christian discipline. Like that is something we are called to do um by the Lord is rejoice in God's goodness and his faithfulness. Um, and I think we could do a lot better job at that. Um contentment, self-examination, memorization, and journaling.

SPEAKER_00 25:55

Um It is, but I feel like some of them can go hand in hand.

SPEAKER_01 26:03

They do, and and there's more than that. Right. Like it's those are just the big ones that are like common that people that are tried and true. But then you have the pastor that we listen to who's like, I look at art in the morning and I just try to be in awe of God. Yeah. His wonder. His wonder. Like just be in awe of who he is and worship him in that that frame head frame. Yeah. So I'm excited to get started. Yes. I'm excited to share more with you guys. If you have questions or want to talk about a specific one, please let us know and we would be happy to do that.

SPEAKER_00 26:36

Yes, because it's gonna be the rest of the year series for us.

SPEAKER_01 26:39

Yeah. But we're gonna try to clump them together. And so it's not that's not how many podcasts are gonna be, but we will cover all of them. So is there anything you want to add?

SPEAKER_00 26:50

I don't think so. Okay, I just wanna like actually there is like even through that list, like before we get to next week where the next episode comes out, like just take one of those things and try to practice it. Like, take the five minutes to just thank the Lord for what he's given you. Yes, yeah, absolutely. That's it. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 27:12

All right, well, we won't see you next week. We'll be here next week. Have a good week. Have on that. Bye.